This invention relates in general to paving equipment and deals more particularly with a trench paving device for attachment to a construction vehicle of the type having a moveable tool, such as an earth moving bucket, mounted at its front end of the vehicle and manually operable controls carried by the vehicle for moving the tool to and retaining it in selected orientation relative to the vehicle.
In laying underground utilities, such as gas lines, water lines and electrical service, it is often necessary to cut a narrow trench in an existing pavement. After the utility line has been installed the trench is back filled to a level somewhat below the grade level of the existing pavement. Commencing within the trench paving material is then spread to form successive rises, the level of the final rise being somewhat above the grade level of the existing pavement. The trench paving operation is completed by rolling the paving material to existing grade level.
Presently available paving machines are relatively large, expensive, require special hauling equipment to transport to and from a job site and are usually considerably larger than normally required for an average trench paving job. Heretofore paving devices have been provided for use with construction vehicles. However, such paving devices are generally adapted to be towed behind a vehicle, are difficult to maneuver and present troublesome steering problems when used in paving a narrow trench. Consequently, trench paving operations are often performed almost entirely with manual labor, the paving material deposited within the trench being spread by manual raking.
It is the general aim of the present invention to provide an improved compact, durable trench paving device which may be readily attached to and removed from an existing tool, such as an earth moving bucket, mounted at the front of a construction vehicle and moved relative to the vehicle by a manually operable control system carried by the vehicle. It is a further aim of the invention to provide a trench paving attachment which may be transported to and from a job site without the need for special hauling or transporting equipment.